15 Mexican Tofu Recipes You Can Make in 40 Minutes or Less

Because tofu is good for more than just stir-fry.

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When you think of Mexican food, what comes to mind? Most likely you dream of sizzling chicken fajitas, cheesy nachos, or a crunchy carnitas taco. But what about those of us who are trying to eat fewer animal products? It can be tougher for us to visualize the perfect Mexican-inspired meal without meat.

Whether you're trying to make "meatless Monday" part of your weekly routine or are goingtotallyvegan, cutting out meat doesn't have to mean giving up on your favorite foods. These Mexican tofu recipes showcase just a few of the ways you can use this soy-based ingredient in all of your Mexican favorites in a healthy and animal-friendly way.

Breakfast

Chilaquiles are a classic Mexican breakfast that let you use up all the leftovers from the night before. The same holds true for this vegan version, which replaces the traditional eggs with a tofu scramble.

Got some tortilla chips that are starting to go stale? Perfect! Need to use up those beans in the fridge? Throw 'em in! This quick recipe is even quicker when made with leftover tofu scramble, so go ahead and make a double batch tomorrow morning and enjoy chilaquiles the next day!

Lunches/Dinners

Back in 2014, Chipotle unveiled its vegetarian protein option, sofritas. But some days you can’t be bothered to leave the house, even for Chipotle. This copycat recipe comes to the rescue on those days! This is the ultimate lazy day, budget-friendly dinner with simple ingredients that come together in about 15 minutes.

Thisbarbecue tofu Mexican salad is perfect for summer days. Its bright, fresh ingredients are as visually appealing as they are tasty. For a completely vegan version, sub dairy-free sour cream or a plant-based yogurt for the sour cream in the dressing.

Did someone say taquitos? This vegetarian version of the classic crispy treat is lightened up by baking them instead of frying. If you’re feeling adventurous, you could always fry them instead, like in this taquitos recipe

What’s a Mexican meal without sour cream? As with the nacho “cheese,” the tofu in this recipe provides a creamy texture to the final product. As a bonus, this recipe has significantly less fat than traditional or nut-based sour creams.

For a more traditional take on tofu-based cheese, this tutorial for queso fresco-like crumbly tofu hits the mark. Like the classic Mexican cheese, it's tangy, salty, springy, and crumbly rather than melty. NOTE: This tutorial is entirely in Spanish. Use automatic translation at your own risk!

You can drink tofu? What?? This recipe takes the classic creamy Mexican horchata and makes it into a high-protein treat that’s pretty healthy. The silken tofu makes this drink, well, silky, and so delicious you’d never know it's made of tofu. Possibly the quickest and easiest of these Mexican tofu recipes, it only takes a couple minutes to whip up, so why not give it a try?

Whether you're cutting animal products for your health, for the environment, for the animals, or just to try something new, cooking with tofu can be a fun and incredibly delicious. So head to the cocina and get cooking with these easy Mexican tofu recipes.